U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU  OP  SOILS— MILTON  WHITNEY,  Chief. 

IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  NEBRASKA,  NEBRASKA  SOIL 
SURVEY,  G.  E.  CONDRA,  DIRECTOR. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  KIMBALL  COUNTY, 
NEBRASKA. 


A.  H.  MEYER,  In  Chaege,  J.  O.  "\T:ATCH,  and  B.  W.  TILLI^IAN, 

OF  THE  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  and  F.  A.  HAYES, 

H.  C.  MORTLOCK,  and  C.  E.  COLLETT,  of  the 

Nebraska  Soil  Survey 


THOMAS  D.  RICE,  Inspector,  Northern  Division. 


[Advance  Sheets — Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils,  1916.J 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1917. 


BUKEAIJ  OF  SOUS. 

Milton  Whitney,  Chief  of  Bureau. 
Albert  G.  Rice,  Chief  Cleric. 

SOIL   SURVEY. 

Curtis  F.  Makbut,  In  Chcrrge. 
G.  W.  Baumann,  Executive  Assistant. 

committee  on  the  correlation  and  classification  of  soils. 

Curtis  F.  Marbut,  Chairman. 
Hugh  H.  Bennett,  Inspector,  Soutliern  Division. 
W.  Edward  Hearn,  Inspector,  Southern  Division. 
Thomas  D.  Rice,  Inspector,  Nortliern  Division. 
W.  E.  McLendon,  Inspector,  Nortliern  Division. 
Macy  H.  Lapiiam,  Inspector,  Western  Division. 

J.  W.  McKebicheb,  Secretary. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU  OF  SOILS— MILTON  WHITNEY,  Chief. 

IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  NEBRASKA,  NEBRASKA  SOIL 
SURVEY,  G.  E.  CONDRA,  DIRECTOR. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  KIMBALL  COUNTY, 
NEBRASKA. 


A.  H.  MEYER,  In  Chaege,  J.  O.  ^T:ATCH,  and  B.  W.  TILL:MAN, 

OF  THE  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  and  F.  A.  HAYES, 

H.  C.  MORTLOCK,  and  C.  E.  COLLETT,  of  the 

Nebraska  Soil  Survey. 


THOMAS  D.  rice,  Inspector,  Northern  Division. 


[Advance  Sheets— Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils,  1916.] 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1917. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


U.  S.  Department  or  Agriculture, 

Bureau  of  Soils, 
Washington^  D.  G.^  June  6,  1917. 
Sir:  Under  the  cooperative  agreement  with  the  University  of 
Nebraska,  a  soil  survey  of  Kimball  County  was  carried  to  completion 
during  the  field  season  of  1916. 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the  manuscript  and  map 
covering  this  work  and  to  recommend  their  publication  as  advance 
sheets  of  Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils  for   1916,  as 
authorized  by  laAV. 
Respectfully, 

Milton  Whitney, 

Chief  of  Bureau, 
Hon.  D.  F.  Houston, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture, 
2 


SRLF    ^C 
'jR' 


CONTENTS. 


Soil  Survey  of  Kimball  County,  Nebraska.  By  A.  H.  Meyer,  In  Charge, 
J.  O.  Veatch,  and  B.  W.  Tillman,  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, and  F.  A.  Hayes.  H.  C.  Mortlock,  and  G.  E.  Collett,  of  the 

Nebraska  Soil  Survey 5 

Description  of  the  area 5 

Climate 7 

Agriculture 9 

.  Soils 13 

Sidney  gravellj''  sandy  loam 17 

Sidney  fine  sandy  loam 18 

Sidney  very  fine  sandy  loam 19 

Sidney  loam 19 

Sidney  silt  loam 21 

Scott  silt  loam,  calcareous  phase 22 

Tripp  very  fine  sandy  loam 23 

Cheyenne  gravelly  sandy  loam 24 

Cheyenne  fine  sandy  loam 25 

Cheyenne  very  fine  sandy  loam 25 

Cheyenne  loam 26 

Laurel  very  fine  sandy  loam 26 

Rough  broken  land 27 

Summar}' 27 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FIGURE. 

Fig.  1.  Sketch  map  showing  location  of  the  Kimball  County  area,  Nebraska. 

MAP. 

Soil  map,  Kimball  County  sheet,  Nebraska. 

3 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  KIMBALL  COUNTY.  NEBRASKA. 

By  A.  H.  MEYER,  In  Charge,  J.  O.  VEATCH,  and  B.  W.  TILLMAN,  of  the  U.  S. 
Department  of  Agriculture,  and  F.  A.  HAYES.  H.  C.  MORTLOCK,  and  C.  E. 
COLLETT,  of  the  Nebraska  Soil  Survey.— Area  Inspected  by  THOMAS  D.  RICE. 


-+ 

tA-- 

^ 

1  1  1 

Fig.  1. — Sketch  map  showing 
location  of  the  Kimball  County 
area,   Nebraska. 


DESCRIPTION    OF   THE   AREA. 

Kimball  County  is  located  in  the  extreme  western  part  of  the 
State  of  Nebraska.  The  county  adjoins  the  State  of  Wyoming  on 
the  west  and  Colorado  on  the  south.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Banner  County  and  on  the  east  by  Cheyenne  County.  Kimball, 
the  county  seat,  is  451  miles  by  rail  west  of  Omaha.  The  county  is 
nearly  square  and  has  an  area  of  958  square  miles,  or  613,120  acres. 

Kimball  County  lies  in  the  physio- 
graphic province  known  as  the  Great 
Plains.  It  is  in  the  western  part  of  this 
province,  in  the  division  known  as  the 
High  Plains. 

Topographically  the  county  consists  of 
a  moderately  rolling  plain,  dissected  by 
the  valley  of  Lodgepole  Creek,  from  1  to 
2  miles  wide  and  about  200  feet  deep, 
extending  across  the  center  of  the  county 
in  an  east- west  direction.     It  is  sharply 

defined,  with  broad  areas  of  undulating  table-land  on  each  side.  The 
valley  is  characterized  by  steep  upper  slopes,  or  bluffs,  with  gentle, 
extended  slopes  at  the  base  which  merge  into  a  nearly  level  valley 
terrace,  the  profile  having  roughly  the  shape  of  the  letter  U.  The 
creek  winding  through  the  valley  has  a  narrow  recent  flood  plain 
lying  about  2  to  4  feet  above  the  stream,  Avhich  is  subject  to  overflow 
at  infrequent  intervals.  A  well-defined  alluvial  terrace  of  smooth, 
nearly  level,  or  gently  sloping  topography  lies  at  elevations  of  20 
to  40  feet  above  the  creek,  and  a  high  bench,  60  to  80  feet  above, 
occurs  in  places,  although  its  outline  has  been  obscured  and  its 
original  covering  of  alluvial  deposits  largely  removed  by  erosion. 

The  surface  of  the  county  is  a  constructional  plain,  built  up  by  the 
deposition  of  rock  debris  washed  from  the  Rocky  Mountain  region 
to  the  west  in  late  Tertiary  time,  the  original  surface  configuration 
not  having  been  greatly  modified  by  stream  erosion.  The  two  areas 
of  upland,  popularly  referred  to  as  the  "  table-land  "  or  the  "  divides," 
have  much  the  same  character  of  topography.  There  are  numerous 
shallow  drainage  ways,  so  that  the  land  for  the  most  part  is  slightly 
rolling,  although  a  considerable  part  is  nearly  level.  The  drainage 
ways,  or  "  draws,"  in  their  upper  courses  are  simply  broad,  shallow 


6  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OP   THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1916. 

depressions  with  no  definite  or  continuous  channel.  Along  the  lower 
courses  of  the  larger  draws,  however,  the  valleys  are  sharply  cut  into 
the  plain  and  are  defined  on  their  outer  edges  by  steep  slopes  or 
bluffs,  which  in  a  few  places  are  rugged  and  barren  of  soil.  The 
floors  of  the  small  valleys,  however,  are  comparatively  wide  and 
nearly  level,  due  to  partial  filling  with  alluvium.  Small,  isolated, 
level-topped  hills  or  buttes  and  low,  rounded  knolls  seldom  more 
than  20  to  50  feet  above  tne  general  level  of  the  surrounding  lower 
lying  areas  are  features  of  the  upland  plain.  These  appear  to  be 
erosion  forms,  and  their  presence  seems  to  be  due  to  a  capping  of 
local  beds  of  hard  rock.  There  are  also  numerous  slight  basins  or 
depressions  without  drainage  outlets  scattered  over  the  table-land. 
These  are  all  shallow,  lying  20  to  50  feet  below  the  surrounding  land, 
and  vary  in  size  from  2  or  3  to  about  1,000  acres.  They  appear  to 
represent  original  depressions  in  the  constructional  plain,  but  have 
probably  been  increased  in  size  by  wind  erosion. 

The  general  elevation  of  the  county  varies  from  about  4,800  to 
5,300  feet  above  sea  level,  and  the  general  slope  of  the  plain  is  east- 
ward. The  drainage  is  principally  through  Lodgepole  Creek,  the 
only  stream  of  importance  in  the  county  and  a  tributary  of  South 
Platte  River.  A  small  area  in  the  extreme  northern  part  of  the 
county  is  drained  by  Rocky  Hollow,  which  flows  into  Lawrence  Fork, 
a  small  tributary  emptying  into  North  Platte  River.  Short  tribu- 
tary branches,  or  draws,  occur  throughout  the  uj^land,  and  the  region 
is  one  of  very  light  rainfall,  so  that  no  part  of  the  county  is  poorly 
drained,  except  some  of  the  low  bottom  land  along  Lodgepole  Creek. 
The  draws  are  dry  throughout  the  year,  except  immediately  after 
occasional  heavy  rainstorms.  Lodgepole  Creek  has  a  small  flow  of 
water.  It  is  a  perennial  stream,  although  for  a  few  miles  of  its 
course  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  it  disappears  beneath  the 
sand  and  gravel  which  fill  its  channel.  The  general  direction  of  the 
drainage  is  eastward  in  conformity  with  the  general  slope  of  the 
constructional  plain. 

The  region  is  practically  treeless;  in  its  natural  state  it  supports  a 
thick  growth  of  grasses.  The  county  lies  in  what  is  commonly  re- 
ferred to  as  the  ''  short-grass  country."  The  principal  grasses  are 
grama  grass  and  buffalo  grass.  The  only  trees  native  to  the  region 
consist  of  scattered  and  stunted  pines  on  the  rougher  and  more 
broken  land  along  the  larger  streams  and  draws,  with  some  cotton- 
wood,  box  elder,  ash,  willow,  and  juniper. 

Lodgepole  Creek  affords  a  supply  of  water  for  irrigation  and  other 
purposes,  and  abundant  water  is  obtained  from  shallow  wells  in  the 
valley.  On  the  upland  plain  water  is  obtained  from  wells  100  to  250 
feet  deep.  The  water  is  generally  suitable  for  domestic  use,  and  the 
quantity  is  ample  for  farm  and  ranch  requirements. 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBRASKA.  7 

Kimball  County  was  organized  in  1888,  being  formerly  a  part  of 
Cheyenne  County.  The  population  consists  mainly  of  native-born 
Americans  who  have  immigrated  from  the  eastern  part  of  Nebraska 
and  from  Iowa  and  Illinois.  There  is  a  small  percentage  of  Swedes 
and  Danes  and  a  small  number  of  Russians,  the  latter  being  em- 
ploj^ed  in  the  cultivation  of  sugar  beets  and  other  special  crops.  The 
total  population  is  reported  in  the  census  of  1910  as  1,942,  all  of 
which  is  classed  as  rural.  There  has  been  a  considerable  increase  in 
population,  however,  since  the  last  census. 

The  greater  part  of  the  population  is  in  the  towns  and  in  the 
Lodgepole  Creek  valley,  the  density  of  the  population  on  the  upland 
plains  being  less  than  two  persons  per  square  mile. 

Kimball,  located  in  the  central  part  of  the  county  and  having  a 
population  of  about  800,  is  the  principal  town  and  the  county  seat. 

The  main  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  Eailroad  west  of  Omaha 
passes  through  the  central  part  of  the  county  and  affords  good  trans- 
portation facilities.  Some  sections  along  the  northern  and  southern 
boundaries  of  the  county  are  remote  from  the  railroad,  and  the  mar- 
keting of  farm  products  involves  hauls  of  15  to  20  miles. 

The  wagon  roads  are  for  the  most  part  ordinary  dirt  roads,  which 
are  not  graded  or  permanently  located.  HoAvever,  since  there  is  but 
little  rainfall,  they  are  generally  in  fair  condition  throughout  the 
year.  The  Lincoln  Highway  passes  east  and  west  through  the  Lodge- 
pole  Creek  valley  and  is  in  good  condition  for  both  wagon  and  auto- 
mobile traffic.  The  greater  part  of  the  county  is  supplied  with  tele- 
phone service. 

Omaha  is  the  principal  outside  market  for  most  of  the  farm  prod- 
ucts. Wheat  is  sold  at  local  elevators  at  Kimball,  Bushnell,  and  Dix. 
Sugar  beets  are  shipped  principally  to  refineries  in  Colorado. 

CLIMATE. 

Kimball  County  is  characterized  by  cold  winters  and  short  sum- 
mers, with  a  wide  range  between  the  highest  and  lowest  recorded 
temperatures.  The  mean  annual  temperature  is  reported  by  the 
Weather  Bureau  station  at  Kimball  as  47.5°  F. 

The  mean  annual  rainfall  is  about  16  inches,  but  the  precipitation 
varies  widely  from  year  to  year.  The  driest  year  recorded  by  the 
Weather  Bureau  was  1911,  with  9.46  inches  of  precipitation,  and  the 
wettest  year  1905,  with  25.59  inches.  The  greater  part  of  the  rain  falls 
in  the  months  from  April  to  July,  inclusive,  wiiile  for  each  of  the  other 
months  the  precipitation  commonly  averages  less  than  1  inch.  The 
rain  generally  occurs  in  the  form  of  local  showers,  but  occasionally 
it  is  torrential  in  character.  The  snowfall  is  light.  There  is  con- 
siderably less  snowfall  than  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  Local 
hailstorms  are  of  common  occurrence  in  the  summer  months. 
103823°— 17 2 


8 


FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 


The  average  date  of  the  latest  killing  frost  in  the  spring  is  May  16, 
and  of  the  first  in  the  fall,  September  21,  giving  a  normal  growing 
season  of  128  days.  However,  frosts  frequently  occur  as  late  as  June 
and  as  early  as  .August.  The  earliest  recorded  date  of  killing  frost 
in  the  fall  is  August  25,  and  the  latest  in  the  spring,  June  5.  The 
grazing  season  lasts  ordinarily  from  the  middle  of  May  to  the  1st 
of  November,  while  some  of  the  grasses  cure  into  hay  in  a  state  of 
nature  and  furnish  some  sustenance  for  stock  throughout  the  winter. 

Winds  of  high  velocity  are  common  both  in  the  winter  and  summer. 

The  climate  in  this  region  is  the  principal  controlling  factor  in 
agricultural  development.  It  restricts  in  various  ways  the  variety  of 
crops  grown  and  has  a  decided  influence  on  the  methods  of  farming. 
On  account  of  the  small  amount  of  rainfall  and  its  distribution,  and 
the  severity  of  the  winters,  only  drought-resisting  and  hardy  varieties 
of  crops  can  be  grown  profitably  on  the  dry  land.  The  growing  sea- 
son is  short,  and  both  corn  and  oats  frequently  fail  to  mature  grain. 
Nearly  all  tree  fruits  are  very  uncertain  in  yield. 

The  following  table  is  compiled  from  records  of  the  Weather  Bureau 
station  at  Kimball : 

Normal  monthly,  seasonal,  and  annual  temperature  and  precipitation  at  Kimhall. 


Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Month. 

Mean. 

Abso- 
lute max- 
imum. 

Abso- 
lute min- 
imum. 

Mean. 

Total 
amoimt 
for  the 
driest 
year 
(1911). 

Total 
amount 
for  the 
wettest 
year 
(1905). 

°F. 
29.2 
27.2 
26.6 

'F. 
69 
73 

74 

°F. 
-24 
-33 
—30 

Inches. 

0.60 

.43 

.71 

Inches. 

0.45 

.91 

.48 

Inches. 
0.00 

.65 

1.20 

Winter    

27.7 

74 

-33 

1.74 

1.84 

1.85 

March 

34.5 
46.0 
54.9 

82 
95 
97 

-17 
6 
8 

.98 
2.03 
2.50 

.20 
.88 
.49 

1.87 

April 

5.57 

May 

4.04 

45.1 

97 

-17 

5.51 

1.57 

11.48 

June 

65.2 
70.8 
69.8 

102 
106 
104 

31 

38 
26 

2.26 
2.46 

1.54 

1.49 

1.18 

.80 

4.10 

July     

3.48 

August       

2.38 

6S.6 

106 

26 

6.26 

3.47 

9.96 

60.7 
48.2 
36.6 

97 
92 

87 

19 

4 

-21 

1.05 
.72 
.35 

1.42 
.91 
.25 

1.57 

.73 

November 

T. 

Fall 

48.5 

97 

—21 

2.12 

2.58 

2.30 

Year    

47.5 

106 

-33 

15.63 

9.46 

25.59 

SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBRASKA.  9 

AGRICULTURE. 

The  first  permanent  settlements  in  Kimball  County  were  made 
about  1868.  The  Union  Pacific  Eailroad  was  extended  through  the 
county  about  this  time.  The  early  settlers  engaged  in  ranching, 
devoting  most  of  their  attention  to  cattle.  About  1884  the  Union 
Pacific  began  to  dispose  of  its  land,  while  some  public  land  was 
opened  to  settlement  and  preemption,  and  farming  began  on  a  small 
scale.  Wheat  and  corn  were  the  principal  crops,  but  they  never 
proved  profitable,  because  neither  the  methods  of  cultivation  nor  the 
varieties  grown  were  adapted  to  the  climatic  and  soil  conditions, 
and  in  addition  prices  were  low.  After  several  disastrous  dry  years 
in  the  early  nineties  farming  was  almost  completely  abandoned  in 
favor  of  ranching.  Stock  raising  continued  the  dominant  industry 
until  about  1905,  when  a  Federal  law  was  enacted  under  which  the 
public  land  could  be  homesteaded  in  tracts  of  640  acres,  and  the  lands 
rapidly  passed  into  private  ownership.  This  had  the  effect  of  break- 
ing up  the  large  cattle  ranches  and  giving  an  impetus  to  farming. 
Many  of  the  homesteaders,  however,  practiced  farming  for  only  a 
short  time,  and  after  acquiring  ownership  of  the  land  sold  their 
holdings  to  land  speculators,  so  that  at  the  present  time  only  a  very 
small  part,  about  6  per  cent,  of  the  total  area  of  the  county  is  actually 
under  cultivation.  On  the  cultivated  land  an  extensive  system  of 
dry  farming  is  carried  on,  while  adjacent  unoccupied  sections  are 
leased  for  pasture  and  hay  land,  so  that  stock  raising  on  a  small 
scale  is  practiced  in  conjunction  with  crop  production. 

Farming  under  irrigation  is  practiced  to  some  extent.  A  part  of 
the  valley  land  in  the  central  part  of  the  county  lying  to  the  east 
and  to  the  west  of  Kim.ball  is  under  irrigation.  A  dam  was  con- 
structed on  Lodgepole  Creek,  8  miles  west  of  Kimball,  in  1912,  for 
the  storage  of  water.  The  irrigation  district  comprises  7,000  acres, 
of  which  about  4,000  acres  are  under  cultivation  at  the  present  time. 
Irish  potatoes,  alfalfa,  and  sugar  beets,  given  in  the  order  of  acre- 
age, are  the  principal  crops.  Beans  and  cabbage  are  special  crops 
which  occupy  a  relatively  small  acreage.  Wheat,  oats,  and  barley 
are  also  gi-own  under  irrigation,  but  only  to  a  very  small  extent.^ 
There  is  no  practicable  source  of  water  for  the  irrigation  of  the 
upland.  Water  from  wells  is  used  in  a  small  way  for  irrigating  home 
gardens. 

Wheat  is  the  principal  crop  in  acreage  and  the  chief  cash  crop  of 
the  county.  The  1910  census  reports  2,178  acres  in  wheat,  but  there 
has  been  a  large  increase  in  acreage  in  the  last  few  years,  due  to 
prevailing  good  prices  and  fair  yields.    The  latest  estimate  available 

1  For  a  description  of  the  crops  grown  and  methods  followed  on  land  under  irrigation, 
see  Irrigated  Field  Crops  in  Western  Nebraska,  Bui.  141,  Nebraska  Agr.  Expt.  Sta. 


10  FIELD  OPEEATIONS   OF   THE  BUEEAU   OF   SOILS,,   1916. 

is  15,680  acres  in  wheat  in  1915,^  Both  winter  and  spring  wheat 
are  grown,  winter  wheat  occupying  the  greater  acreage.  The  win- 
ter wheat  is  principally  the  Turkey  Red  variety  and  the  spring 
wheat  principally  the  durum.  The  yields  have  shown  wide  varia- 
tions in  the  last  10  years,  ranging  from  less  than  6  to  as  much  as 
35  bushels  per  acre.  It  seems  to  be  the  general  experience  that  the 
winter  wheat  slightly  exceeds  the  spring  wheat  in  yield. 

Corn  is  generally  grown  on  the  upland  as  a  feed  crop  for  use  on 
the  farm.  The  1910  census  reports  3,083  acres  in  corn,  but  the 
Nebraska  State  Board  of  Agriculture  reports  a  total  of  5,960  acres 
in  1915.^  The  yields  are  very  uncertain  and  show  wide  variations 
through  a  period  of  years,  ranging  from  practically  complete  fail- 
ures to  25  to  30  bushels  per  acre.  Both  dent  and  flint  corn  are 
grown.  The  varieties  grown  produce  smaller  stalks  and  smaller 
ears  than  those  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  The  ^^liite  Cap 
Dent  seems  to  be  one  of  the  most  successful  varieties,  and  good  yields 
have  been  obtained  from  Blueflower  Flint  and  other  varieties  of 
this  class. 

A  small  acreage  of  emmer  is  grown  in  the  county.  This  crop  is 
seeded  principally  in  the  spring,  although  occasionally  small  fields 
of  winter  emmer  are  planted. 

Oats  are  grown  on  practically  all  the  farms  operated  by  the 
owners,  and  the  crop  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
county.  The  area  in  oats  in  1915  is  reported  as  7,090  acres.^  The 
1910  census  reports  5.581  acres  in  this  crop.  The  grain  yields  are 
very  uncertain,  but  in  the  most  favorable  years  40  to  50  bushels  per 
acre  are  obtained,  and  a  considerable  part  of  the  crop  is  marketed. 
Very  frequently  the  grain  fails  to  mature,  and  the  crop  is  cut  for 
forage  where  the  thickness  of  the  stand  and  height  of  the  plants  war- 
rant the  labor.  Swedish  Select  is  probably  the  principal  variety 
grown,  although  other  varieties,  principall}^  the  Kherson,  are  being 
grown  experimentally. 

Eye  is  sown  in  the  fall  and  in  early  spring.  The  area  in  rye  in 
1915  is  estimated  as  2,202  acres.  The  greater  part  of  the  crop  is 
thrashed  for  the  grain,  but  it  is  also  used  to  some  extent  for  hay  and 
pasturage.  The  crop  seems  to  have  about  the  same  soil  and  climatic 
adaptation  as  wheat. 

Alfalfa  is  of  local  importance  as  a  hay  and  forage  crop.  There  is 
an  estimated  total  of  about  1,200  acres  in  the  county.  The  crop  is 
grown  principally  on  irrigated  land,  but  also  to  some  extent  on  the 
dry-land  farms.  The  yields  under  irrigation  vary  from  2  to  4  tons 
per  acre  per  season.  On  the  upland  alfalfa  is  both  planted  in  rows 
and  cultivated,  and  seeded  broadcast,  the  yields  being  considerably 

»  Annual  Report,  Nebraska  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  1915. 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBRASKA.  H 

less  than  on  the  irrigated  hincl.  The  quality  of  the  alfalfa  grown  in 
the  county  is  good. 

Millet  is  one  of  the  principal  forage  crops.  Its  acreage  is  probably 
a  little  greater  than  that  of  alfalfa,  but  its  money  value  is  lower. 
Siberian  millet  is  the  princii)al  variety,  and  considerable  hog  millet, 
or  proso,  also  is  grown.  The  1910  census  reports  a  total  of  3,871  acres 
in  tame  or  cultivated  grasses  and  5,657  acres  in  wild,  salt,  or  prairie 
grasses. 

Irish  potatoes  constitute  one  of  the  special  cash  crops  of  the  county. 
This  crop  is  groAvn  principally  under  irrigation  in  the  Lodgepole 
Valley.  The  yields  are  commonly  150  to  175  bushels  per  acre.  It 
is  estimated  that  about  1,000  acres  are  devoted  to  potatoes  this  year 
(1916). 

Sugar  beets  also  are  an  important  special  crop,  on  irrigated  land. 
The  acreage  at  present  is  less  than  that  of  Irish  potatoes.  The  yields 
are  8  to  10  tons  per  acre,  and  the  sugar  content  is  satisfactory.  The 
tops  are  in  local  demand  for  stock  feed. 

Barley  is  grown  to  a  small  extent,  occupying  a  total  of  probably 
000  to  400  acres.    It  is  utilized  as  a  feed  crop  on  the  farms. 

Flax  is  frequently  grown  as  a  first-year  crop  on  sod  land.  There 
is  a  small  acreage  of  sorghums  grown  for  forage,  amber  cane  prob- 
ably being  the  principal  variety  with  which  any  success  has  thus 
far  been  obtained.  Cabbage  and  beans  are  minor  special  crops  on 
irrigated  land,  and  the  latter  crop  has  been  grown  in  an  experimental 
way  with  fair  results  on  dry-land  farms.  Sweet  clover  is  being  tried 
under  dry-farming  methods  and  gives  some  promise  of  being  a  profit- 
able forage  crop. 

Fruit  has  not  yet  been  grown  in  sufficient  quantity  to  supply  even 
the  small  local  demand.  The  climate  is  too  severe  for  most  tree  fruits, 
injury  resulting  especially  from  the  late  spring  frosts.  Plum  trees 
are  most  certain  of  yielding  fruit.  Among  the  small  fruits,  goose- 
berries and  currants  seem  to  give  the  best  results. 

Common  garden  vegetables  generally  can  not  be  grown  successfully 
except  with  irrigation. 

Stock  raising  is  regarded  as  a  profitable  industry,  although  condi- 
tions at  present  are  not  favorable  for  carrying  on  ranching  on  an 
extensive  scale.  Cattle  rank  first  in  number,  followed  by  horses  and 
sheep.  Most  of  the  stock  raising  is  done  in  combination  with  farm- 
ing, each  farmer  commonly  leasing  from  one  to  three  unoccupied  sec- 
tions for  pasture.  The  native  pasture  ordinarily  supports  one  cow 
or  steer  on  20  or  30  acres,  and  the  forage  grown  on  the  farm  with 
some  wild  hay  is  sufficient  to  carry  the  stock  through  the  winter. 

Small  numbers  of  cattle,  sheep,  and  hogs  are  fed  for  market  in 
good  crop  years.    Alfalfa  is  the  principal  feed  crop,  while  corn,  bar- 


12  FIELD  OPERATIONS  OF   THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 

ley,  beet  tops,  oats,  emmer,  and  such  other  feed  and  forage  crops  as 
may  have  succeeded  during  the  season  are  utilized. 

Dairying  is  carried  on  to  a  small  extent,  but  is  a  comparatively 
unimportant  industry.  Sufficient  milk  and  butter  is  produced  to 
supply  the  local  demand,  and  small  shipments  are  made  to  outside 
points.    A  small  creamery  has  been  established  at  Kimball. 

In  general,  the  farmers  who  have  had  experience  in  the  region  have 
selected  the  heavier  and  deeper  soils  as  best  adapted  to  small  grains 
and  as  capable  of  withstanding  drought.  Such  soils  in  this  county 
are  the  more  nearly  level  loam  and  silt  loam  types.  The  gravelly 
and  coarse  sandy  types  are  regarded  by  the  farmers  as  not  being 
suitable  for  any  purpose  other  than  pasture.  In  the  irrigated  area 
the  finer  textured  soils  with  the  deepest  and  least  pervious  subsoils, 
rather  than  those  with  coarse,  gravelly  layers  in  the  3-foot  section, 
are  selected  for  the  special  crops. 

The  county  is  in  an  initial  stage  of  development,  and  many  of  the 
recent  settlers  are  men  of  very  limited  means.  The  farm  improve- 
ments therefore  can  hardly  be  expected  to  compare  favorably  with 
those  of  the  older  parts  of  the  State  where  agriculture  is  on  a  more 
stable  basis.  On  most  farms  the  buildings  are  very  small  and  roughly 
built,  and  some  sod  houses  are  still  to  be  seen. 

The  cattle  on  the  farms  are  of  good  grades,  the  Hereford  blood 
predominating  in  the  herds  of  beef  cattle  and  the  Holstein  in  the  dairy 
herds.  Most  farms  have  from  three  to  six  horses  of  heavy-draft 
type.  All  the  farms  are  equipped  Avith  the  modern  labor-saving 
machinery  required  for  grain  farming  on  an  extensive  scale.  Trac- 
tors are  extensively  used  for  brealdng  land.  Machine  diggers  and 
mechanical  sorters  are  in  use  for  harvesting  the  potato  crop. 

In  the  tillage  of  the  dry  land  it  is  the  aim  to  maintain  as  loose  a  sur- 
face soil  as  possible  under  the  climatic  conditions  in  order  to  conserve 
moisture,  without  entirely  pulverizing  the  soil.  A  slightly  cloddy 
or  rough  surface  is  necessary  to  prevent  excessive  shifting  of  the  soil 
by  winds.  Summer  tillage  for  winter  grain  has  been  tried  in  a  small 
way,  but  it  is  not  agreed  that  it  is  profitable.  So  far  as  experiments 
have  been  made,  fall  plowing  for  spring  wheat  and  oats  has  not 
produced  appreciably  greater  yields. 

In  preparing  new  land  for  wheat  the  soil  is  broken  to  a  depth  of 
3  or  4  inches  with  mold-board  plows  and  heavy  teams  or  tractors. 
The  sod  is  then  disked  and  the  wheat  drilled  in  immediately.  Under 
another  plan,  the  plows  are  followed  by  rollers  or  packers  and  the 
grain  seeded  without  further  preparation.  Where  wheat  follows 
wheat  the  grain  is  frequently  drilled  in  without  any  preparation  of 
the  land,  the  drill  sometimes  following  the  binder.  Wheat  is  also 
planted  between  corn  rows  before  that  crop  is  harvested. 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBRASKA.  13 

Generally  but  very  little  labor  is  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  land 
for  corn  and  in  the  cultivation  of  the  crop.  Frequently  the  grain  is 
planted  in  the  roughl}^  broken  sod  without  disking  of  the  furrow 
slices  or  subsequent  cultivation. 

In  the  irrigated  area  there  is  a  more  thorough  preparation  of  the 
land,  careful  cultivation,  and  scientific  methods  of  watering  the  land 
and  handling  the  crops. 

Systematic  plans  of  crop  rotation  have  not  been  seriously  con- 
sidered on  the  dry  land.  Farming  is  comparatively  new ;  to  a  large 
extent  it  is  still  experimental,  and  the  agricultural  conditions  are 
more  or  less  unstable. 

In  the  handling  of  crops,  wheat  is  generally  stacked  in  the  ©pen, 
whether  it  is  cut  with  the  binder  or  the  header.  On  account  of  the 
thinly  settled  condition  of  the  country,  there  are  but  few  thrash- 
ing machines,  and  it  is  generally  late  in  November  before  all  the 
crop  is  thrashed.  The  grain,  as  far  as  possible,  is  marketed  direct 
from  the  machines.  "When  corn  properly  matures  and  yields  well, 
the  ears  are  pulled  from  the  standing  stalks  and  stored  for  winter 
feed ;  otherwise  stock  is  turned  into  the  fields  and  allowed  to  feed  on 
the  crop.  The  forage  crops  are  stacked  in  the  open  and  used  as 
required  for  winter  feeding.  Stock  feeding  for  the  market,  princi- 
pally sheep  and  cattle,  is  carried  on  during  the  winter  months. 

Commercial  fertilizers  are  not  used,  and  it  is  generally  believed 
that  there  will  be  no  necessity  for  them  in  the  immediate  future. 

Farm  laborers  are  scarce.  The  ordinary  day  wage  during  the 
busier  seasons  is  $2.50  or  $3.  Where  labor  is  hired  by  the  month, 
$30  to  $35  is  paid.  Most  of  the  farmers,  however,  do  their  own  work 
or  require  but  little  extra  labor.  Russians  and  Japanese  are  em- 
ployed in  the  production  of  beets  and  other  special  crops,  both  on  a 
share  plan  and  for  wages. 

The  greater  proportion  of  the  farmers  own  their  farms,  and  there 
is  only  a  very  small  percentage  of  tenants. 

Most  of  the  land  has  been  homesteaded  or  purchased  in  tracts  of 
640  acres.  Many  farmers  lease  extra  sections  for  pasture  and  wild 
hay,  and  there  are  a  number  engaged  principally  in  stock  raising 
who  have  holdings,  either  by  ownership  or  under  lease,  ranging 
from  3  to  20  sections. 

The  upland  best  suited  to  farming  has  a  selling  price  of  $10  to  $25 
an  acre.  Sections  containing  a  small  area  adapted  to  grain  growing, 
but  mainly  of  value  for  pasture,  may  be  bought  for  $5  to  $10  an  acre. 
Most  of  the  land  under  irrigation  is  valued  at  about  $60  an  acre. 

SOILS. 

Kimball  County  lies  between  the  steppes  and  the  desert.  It  lies 
in  a  region  where  the  moisture  supply  is  too  low  to  permit  the  accu- 


14  FIELD  OPERATIONS   OF   THE  BUEEAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 

mulation  of  a  great  deal  of  organic  matter  in  the  soil,  notwithstand- 
ing the  fact  that  its  native  vegetation  consists  of  grasses.  The  rain- 
fall is  too  low  also  to  allow  the  leaching  of  the  whole  soil  layer. 
Thus  the  carbonates  are  leached  from  the  surface  layer  but  are  found 
in  abundance  in  the  subsoil.  On  the  other  hand,  the  county  lies 
where  the  moisture  supply  is  too  great  to  permit  the  growth  of  a 
desert  shrub  vegetation  and  the  development  of  the  gray  soils  rich  in 
carbonates  characteristic  of  such  regions.  In  development  the  well- 
drained  soil  on  the  ujjland  of  the  county,  regardless  of  its  texture, 
has  reached  a  stage  of  maturity, .  and  because  of  uniformity  both  of 
climatic  forces  and  of  parent  material  it  is  uniform  in  its  charac- 
teristics. It  belongs  to  the  important  group  of  chestnut-colored 
soils  marked  by  their  brown  surface  color,  their  lighter  colored  and 
rather  compact  subsurface,  and  their  highly  calcareous  subsoil.  To 
jJl  intents  and  purposes  the  upland  of  the  county  is  covered  with  a 
single  soil  with  minor  variations  due  to  the  fineness  or  coarseness  of 
the  material.  The  Sidney  loam  and  Sidney  silt  loam  are  the  varie- 
ties, or,  as  they  are  designated  in  the  nomenclature  of  the  Bureau  of 
Soils,  the  types  that  represent  the  most  complete  stage  of  de- 
velopment. 

The  terrace  soils  of  the  county,  represented  typically  by  the  Tripp 
series,  have  reached  practically  the  same  stage  in  soil  development 
as  the  upland  soil,  while  the  recent  alluvium  has  just  begun  its  de- 
velopment. Its  profile  is  not  determined  by  the  soil-making  forces 
characteristic  of  the  region  but  by  the  geological  processes  operating 
during  its  deposition.  It  is  a  geological  formation  in  its  stage  of 
development  and  is  not  a  soil  in  any  other  sense  than  that  it  is  ca- 
pable of  supporting  a  growth  of  plants. 

The  soils  along  the  steep  slopes  are  in  a  sense  nothing  but  the  dis- 
integrated debris  of  the  geological  formations,  and  have  not  yet 
reached  the  mature  stage  of  soil  development. 

The  soils  have  been  derived  almost  entirely  from  a  single  geologic 
formation.  In  this  area  this  consists  of  a  great  thickness  of  sand, 
gravel,  and  silt  containing  a  high  percentage  of  lime,  in  the  form 
of  very  finely  divided  calcium  carbonate  disseminated  throughout 
the  material  and  in  coarse  fragments  of  calcareous  rocks. 

The  beds  have  generally  been  cemented  through  the  action  of  cal- 
cium carbonate,  forming  a  white  calcareous  grit  and  conglomerate 
of  varying  degrees  of  hardness,  to  which  the  name  "  mortar  beds  " 
has  been  applied.  The  formation  is  heterogeneous,  containing  frag- 
ments of  practically  all  the  great  variety  of  igneous  and  sedimentary 
rocks  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region  to  the  west.  Quartz,  feldspar, 
and  pebbles  of  granite  probably  predominate. 

The  formation  is  of  late  Tertiary  age  (Pliocene)  and  probably  of 
fimial   and   lacustrine   origin.     In   the   general    geologic    mapping 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBKASKA.  15 

which  has  been  carried  on  in  this  region  it  has  been  named  the 
OgalhUa  formation. 

Recent-alhivial  material,  consisting  of  fine  sand  and  silt  overlying 
gravel  derived  from  the  Ogallala  formation,  has  been  laid  down  in 
the  valley  of  Lodgepole  Creek,  and  the  valleys  of  the  larger  draws 
have  been  partially  filled  by  relatively  coarser  alluvial  wash  to  a 
thickness  of  5  to  15  feet.  A  small  deposit  of  alluvial-fan  material 
is  spread  out  at  the  mouths  of  the  draws  entering  the  Lodgepole 
Valley,  and  considerable  recent-alluvial  material  is  found  at  the 
bases  of  practically  all  the  steeper  slopes.  There  are  also  in  places 
thin  deposits  of  grayish  or  yellow  very  fine  sand  and  silt  on  the 
slopes  at  the  bases  of  the  bluffs  inclosing  Lodgepole  Valley,  which 
appear  to  be  wind  deposits. 

The  soil  separations  that  have  been  made  bear  a  close  relation  to 
the  different  lithologic  phases  of  the  Ogallala  formation  and  to  local 
differences  in  topography. 

The  extent  and  character  of  the  weathering  determined  by  the 
conditions  of  a  semiarid  climate  have  had  a  marked  effect  upon  the 
color,  structure,  and  lime  content  of  the  soil.  The  prevailing  color 
of  the  soils  is  light  brown  at  the  surface,  with  grayish  or  pale-yellow- 
ish subsoils.  In  general  the  soils  have  a  loose,  friable  structure, 
although  the  heavier  types  are  moderately  compact  at  the  surface. 
The  material  is  generally  calcareous,  particularly  in  the  subsoil,  and 
shows  an  alkaline  reaction,  although  there  is  no  surface  manifesta- 
tion of  injurious  alkalies  and  no  appreciable  injury  to  plant  growth 
from  this  cause.  The  organic-matter  content  is  apj^arently  low, 
compared  with  that  of  the  more  humid  sections  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  State. 

It  is  estimated  that  about  85  per  cent  or  more  of  the  county  would 
be  arable  land  if  supplied  with  sufficient  moisture.  Under  the  lim- 
itations of  normal  rainfall  about  55  per  cent  of  the  area  is  suitable 
for  cultivation  under  dry-farming  methods,  provided  the  crops  are 
chosen  with  regard  to  the  soil  and  climatic  conditions. 

In  the  system  of  mapping  employed  by  the  Bureau  of  Soils  the 
soils  are  grouped  in  series  on  the  basis  of  common  characteristics 
in  color,  structure,  and  origin,  and  the  series  are  subdivided  into 
types  on  the  basis  of  texture,  or  the  relative  proportion  of  different- 
sized  mineral  particles.  Five  series,  including  12  types  of  soil,  in 
addition  to  Eough  broken  land,  are  recognized  in  Kimball  County. 
One  type  is  represented  only  by  a  phase. 

The  Sidney  series  comprises  upland  soils  in  the  northern  Great 
Plains  region.  It  is  characterized  by  light-brown  surface  soils  and 
a  lighter  colored,  usually  light-gray  or  pale-yellowish,  subsoil.  The 
subsoil  material  is  highly  calcareous,  and  the  surface  soil  is  mod- 
erately so.     The  subsoil  is  loose  and  friable  or  mealy,  and  in  the 


16  FIELD  OPERATIONS  OF  THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 

heavier  types  the  surface  material  is  commonly  more  compact  and 
coherent  than  the  subsoil.  The  series  is  mainly  residual  in  origin, 
and  in  this  county  the  soil  material  is  derived  almost  entirely  from 
the  Ogallala  formation.  The  soils  are  well  drained  and  are  pro- 
ductive under  favorable  conditions  of  rainfall.  This  series  includes 
practically  all  the  upland  or  dry-land  soils  of  the  county,  amount- 
ing to  87.6  per  cent  of  the  total  area.  Five  types  are  represented, 
the  gravelly  sandy  loam,  fine  sandy  loam,  very  fine  sandy  loam,  loam, 
and  silt  loam. 

The  Scott  soils  differ  in  physical  characteristics  from  the  Sidney, 
chiefly  in  the  more  compact  structure  of  the  subsoil.  The  soil  has 
originated  in  the  shallow  depressions  or  basins  which  are  a  feature 
of  the  upland  plain.  The  material  is  principally  colluvial  from 
adjacent  slopes,  which  in  this  area  are  occupied  by  the  Sidney  soils. 
It  has  been  formed  under  conditions  of  poor  drainage.  The  series 
occupies  a  comparatively  small  area  and  is  of  minor  agricultural 
importance.    It  is  represented  only  by  the  silt  loam,  calcareous  phase. 

The  Tripp  series  is  characterized  by  light-brown  and  gray  colors 
in  the  surface  soil  and  light-gray  and  pale-yellow  colors  in  the 
subsoil.  The  subsoil  is  highly  calcareous.  The  series  occurs  on  allu- 
vial terraces  above  overflow  along  the  streams  in  the  western  or 
semiarid  part  of  the  Great  Plains.  In  Kimball  County  the  soil 
material  has  been  modified  to  some  extent  by  wash  from  adjacent 
slopes  and  by  wind-blown  material.  The  Tripp  soils  differ  from 
the  Cheyenne  principally  in  having  less  gravel  in  the  subsoil  and 
therefore  being  less  pervious.  The  land  is  well  drained  and  is  pro- 
ductive under  irrigation.  Only  one  type,  the  Tripp  very  fine  sandy 
loam,  is  encountered  in  Kimball  County. 

The  soils  of  the  Cheyenne  series  are  derived  from  alluvial-terrace 
material  and  from  alluvial  and  colluvial  wash  which  has  partially 
filled  the  valleys  of  streams  and  draws  in  the  western  part  of  the 
Great  Plains  region.  The  soil  is  light  brown  at  the  surface,  with  a 
grayish  or  pale-yellowish  subsoil.  The  subsoil  is  gravelly  or  coarse 
in  texture  and  loose  and  porous  in  structure.  It  has  a  high  lime 
content.  The  land  is  well  drained  and  lies  above  overflow.  The  soils 
are  droughty  and  are  not  very  well  adapted  to  irrigation  where  the 
supply  of  water  is  small.  Four  types,  the  gravelly  sandy  loam,  the 
fine  sandy  loam,  very  fine  sandy  loam,  and  loam,  are  mapped  in 
Kimball  County.     These  soils  are  of  small  extent. 

The  Laurel  series  includes  light-brown  to  pale-yellowish  soils  oc- 
curring in  the  first  bottoms  along  streams  in  the  western  part  of  the 
Great  Plains  region.  There  is  characteristically  a  porous  gravel 
stratum  in  the  lower  subsoil  or  the  underlying  material.  These  soils 
have  the  same  structure  as  the  Cheyenne  and  the  same  mineralogic 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBRASKA. 


17 


character,  the  differences  between  the  two  being  due  to  the  more  recent 
origin  and  lower  topographic  position  of  the  Laurel.  The  series  is 
represented  in  this  county  by  a  single  type,  the  ver}'  fine  sand}'  loam. 
The  following  table  gives  the  actual  and  relative  extent  of  the  sev- 
eral types.  Their  distribution  over  the  county  is  shown  on  the 
accompanying  map. 

Areas  of  different  soils. 


Soil. 

Acres. 

Per  cent. 

Soil. 

Acres. 

Per  cent. 

247,360 

177,472 

78,272 

27, 712 

2.5.472 

10, 176 

9,600 

8,896 

40.3 
28.9 
12.8 
4.5 
4.2 
1.7 
1.6 
1.5 

Cheyenne  fine  sandy  loam 

Sidney  very  fine  sandy  loam. . 

Laurel  very  fine  sandy  loam.. 

Cheyenne    very   fine   sandy 

loam 

7,424 
6, 784 
0,696 

4,992 

3,264 

1.2 

Sidney  gravellj'  sandy  loam  . . 
Sidney  silt  loam 

1.1 
.9 

Sidney  fine  sandy  loam 

.8 

Scott    silt    loam — calcareous 
phase 

Cheyenne  gravelly  sandy  loam 

.5 

Total  

Tripp  very  fine  sandy  loam . . . 

613,120 

SIDNEY    GRAVELLY    SANDY    LOAM. 


The  Sidney  gravelly  sandy  loam  is  a  light-brown  sandy  loam 
containing  a  high  percentage  of  fine  and  coarse  gravel,  which  gives 
the  type  a  loose,  porous  structure.  There  is  very  little  textural 
difference  between  the  soil  and  subsoil.  The  brownish  color  extends 
to  a  depth  of  8  to  15  inches,  where  the  material  becomes  grayish  or 
pale  yellowish  and  is  notably  more  calcareous  than  at  the  surface. 
The  gravel  consists  of  both  angular  and  waterworn  fragments  of  the 
great  variety  of  crystalline  rocks  contained  in  the  underlying  Ogal- 
lala  formation,  together  with  a  smaller  percentage  of  white  frag- 
ments of  calcareous  grit.  This  type  is  locally  distinguished  as 
"  hard-gravel  "  land,  where  mostly  from  crystalline  rocks,  and  "  soft- 
gravel  "  land,  where  mainly  from  calcareous  rocks. 

The  principal  areas  of  the  Sidney  gravelly  sandy  loam  lie  north  and 
west  of  Kimball,  on  the  north  side  of  Lodgepole  Creek,  but  smaller 
areas  are  widely  distributed  throughout  the  county.  The  type  oc- 
curs as  ragged  patches  and  irregularly  outlined  belts  conforming  in 
a  general  way  to  the  direction  of  the  drainage  lines,  and  occupies 
isolated  knolls  and  low  ridges. 

The  topography  is  rolling  and  hilly,  and  in  general  the  land  is 
characterized  by  steeper  slopes  and  a  more  gullied  surface  than  the 
loam  and  silt  loam  types  of  this  series. 

The  type  is  porous,  is  not  retentive  of  moisture,  and  is  poorly 
adapted  to  farming  in  a  region  of  light  rainfall.  The  character  of 
the  topography  also  is  unfavorable  for  extensive  farming.  It  sup- 
ports a  fairly  thick  growth  of  grama,  buffalo,  black-root,  and  bunch 


18  FIELD  OPERATIONS  OF  THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 

grass  and  affords  good  grazing,  but  not  as  good  as  the  heavier  soils. 
The  land  under  present  conditions  is  vahied  at  $5  to  $10  an  acre  for 
pasture. 

A  loamy  variation  of  this  type  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the 
upland  of  the  county,  occurring  principally  in  areas  of  4  to  300  acres 
extent.  This  variation  occupies  the  tops  and  slopes  of  the  numerous 
isolated  buttes,  but  occurs  principally  on  the  steep  slopes  or  bluffs 
inclosing  the  valleys  of  draws  and  on  the  rims  of  the  small  basins 
which  are  a  feature  of  the  plains  topography. 

This  variation  is  not  cultivated,  and  because  of  the  coarse  gravelly 
character  and  droughty  nature  of  the  soil,  it  is  not  regarded  as  suit- 
able for  farming  in  this  region.  The  growth  of  native  grasses  is  less 
luxuriant  than  on  the  silt  loam  type.  Bunch  grass  is  more  abundant 
than  on  other  soils,  and  the  growth  of  yucca  in  Kimball  County  is  con- 
fined mainly  to  this  type. 

SIDNEY  FINE   SANDY   LOAM. 

The  Sidney  fine  sandy  loam  is  a  light-brown  soil  containing  a  high 
percentage  of  fine  and  very  fine  sand  and  possessing  a  loose,  friable 
structure.  The  color  becomes  lighter  with  depth,  and  the  soil  ap- 
parently^ contains  but  little  organic  matter  below  12  to  18  inches. 
The  subsoil  is  grajdsh,  friable  or  meal}^,  highly  calcareous,  and  other- 
wise conforms  to  the  characteristics  of  the  Sidney  series. 

This  type  is  found  principally  on  the  slopes  above  the  bench  land 
in  the  Lodgepole  Valley,  but  also  occurs  in  smaller  areas  on  the  table- 
land in  association  with  the  gravelly  sandy  loam  type.  The  soil  in 
places  is  partly  colluvial  in  origin,  the  surface  consisting  principally 
of  fine  and  very  fine  sand  washed  down  from  adjacent  slopes  occupied 
by  sandy  soils. 

The  type  occurs  on  slopes  or  is  characterized  by  a  moderately  roll- 
ing topography,  allowing  a  relatively  rapid  run-off  of  rainfall,  so  that 
conditions  are  not  altogether  favorable  for  the  retention  of  moisture. 
The  land,  however,  is  not  gullied  or  eroded  and  has  a  topography 
favorable  for  farming. 

Onlj^  a  very  small  part  of  this  type  has  been  brought  under  cultiva- 
tion. The  soil  does  not  withstand  drought  quite  so  well  as  the  heavier 
soils  and  more  nearly  level  lands,  and  since  the  surface  soil  is  less  co- 
herent, it  is  a  little  more  subject  to  drifting.  However,  under  favor- 
able conditions  of  rainfall  fair  yields  of  wheat  and  other  crops  grown 
in  the  county  are  obtained. 

The  land  at  present  is  valued  chiefly  for  grazing.  It  supports  a 
good  growth  of  the  common  native  grasses  and  is  capable  of  main- 
taining a  larger  number  of  live  stock  than  the  gravelly  sandy  loam 
tvpe. 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL   COUNTY,    NEBRASKA. 


19 


In  the  following-  table  are  given  the  results  of  the  mechanical 

analj^ses  of  samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Sidney  fine  sandy 

loam: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Sidncu  fine  sandy  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

sut. 

Clay. 

372524 
372525 

Soil 

Per  cent. 
1.4 
1.6 

Per  cent. 
10.5 
9.0 

Per  cent. 
9.4 

7.4 

Per  cent. 
38.0 
31.0 

Per  cent. 
24.3 
23.0 

Per  cent. 
8.2 
11.9 

Per  cent. 
8.4 

16.0 

SIDNEY    VKRY    FINE    SANDY    LOAM. 


The  Sidney  very  fine  sandy  loam  is  very  similar  in  color  and  other 
characteristics,  as  well  as  in  the  lithologic  character  of  the  soil  sec- 
tion, to  the  loam  and  silt  loam  types,  diftering  from  those  types  in 
having  a  slightly  higher  content  of  very  fine  sand  in  the  surface  soil. 
As  a  result  of  this  slight  textural  difference  the  soil  apparently  is 
less  coherent  in  structure. 

The  principal  areas  are  encountered  south  and  west  of  Bushnell, 
but  small  bodies  are  distributed  throughout  the  upland  of  the  county. 
Many  areas  are  too  small  to  be  shown  separately  on  the  soil  map  and 
are  included  with  other  types  of  the  series. 

This  type  occurs  as  nearly  level  or  gently  undulating  land  both 
on  the  highest  parts  of  the  table-land  and  in  shallow  depressions, 
and  also  to  some  extent  on  very  gentle  slopes  in  Lodgepole  Valley, 
where  the  higher  slopes  are  occupied  by  the  fine  sandy  loam  and  the 
gravelly  sandy  loam  of  the  Sidney  series. 

All  this  land  is  arable,  and  where  cultivated  it  seems  to  have  about 
the  same  crop  adaptation  and  agricultural  value  as  the  loam  and 
silt  loam  types. 

In  the  following  table  are  given  the  results  of  the  mechanical 
analyses  of  samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Sidney  very  fine 
sandy  loam : 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Sidney  very  fine  sandy  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

372503 

Poil 

Per  cent. 

2.0 

.4 

Per  cent. 
6.6 
2.8 

Per  cent. 
4.8 
2.2 

Per  cent. 
16.8 
9.3 

Per  cent. 
32.8 
36.7 

Per  cent. 
24.1 
36.4 

Per  cent. 
12.7 

372504 

Subsoil 

12.2 

SIDNEY    LOAM. 


The  soil  of  the  Sidney  loam  is  a  light-brown,  mellow  loam  12  to  18 
inches  deep.     It  is  characteristically  fine  in  texture,  containing  a 


20  FIELD   OPERATIONS  OF  THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 

relatively  high  percentage  of  silt  and  only  a  very  small  quantity  of 
coarse  material,  except  in  local  spots  where  gravel  has  been  brought 
to  the  surface  by  burrowing  animals.  The  subsoil  is  a  grayish  or 
white  silty  loam.  It  contains  a  higher  percentage  of  coarse  particles 
than  the  surface  material,  these  consisting  of  white  gravelly  frag- 
ments of  calcareous  rock  and  coarse  sand  resulting  from  the  disinte- 
gration of  the  underlying  formation.  The  color  gradually  becomes 
lighter  with  depth,  and  apparently  the  soil  does  not  contain  any 
considerable  quantity  of  organic  matter  below  about  18  or  20  inches, 
at  which  depth  there  is  a  rather  abrupt  change  to  the  gray  or  white 
color  of  the  subsoil. 

The  surface  material  apparently  is  only  moderately  calcareous.  It 
does  not  effervesce  with  acid  until  a  depth  of  12  to  15  inches  is 
reached.  The  subsoil  characteristically  is  highly  calcareous.  The 
loamy  surface  soil  becomes  slightly  more  compact  at  10  to  12  inches, 
without  changing  materially  in  texture,  this  condition  apparently 
being  due  to  mineral  cementation  rather  than  to  a  concentration  of 
clay.  The  grayish  subsoil,  which  is  reached  at  depths  of  18  to  24 
inches,  is  more  friable  and  pervious  than  the  surface  material.  The 
subsoil  on  the  whole  appears  to  be  rather  a  product  of  disintegration 
than  of  decomposition,  and  it  gradually  becomes  coarser  until  it 
grades  into  the  hard  or  but  little  disintegrated,  w^hite  calcareous  grit 
of  the  Ogallala  formation  at  a  depth  of  3  to  5  feet.  The  thickness  of 
soil  material  having  a  structure  favorable  for  the  retention  of  mois- 
ture does  not  generally  exceed  3  feet. 

The  Sidney  loam  is  widely  distributed  over  the  upland  plain 
throughout  the  county,  occurring  both  in  small  and  in  extensive 
areas.  The  topography  is  nearly  level  or  gently  undulating  in  the 
larger  areas.  Some  of  the  smaller  areas  occur  as  narrow  strips  of 
gently  sloping  land  at  the  base  of  steep  slopes  occupied  by  gravelly 
types  of  the  series  and  also  in  shallow,  basinlike  depressions  at  the 
heads  of  draws. 

All  the  areas  have  good  though  not  excessive  surface  drainage 
and  underdrainage.    They  are  not  subject  to  erosion. 

The  Sidney  loam  is  the  most  extensive  soil  type  of  the  county.  It 
is  arable  and  well  suited  to  farming  under  semiarid  conditions.  At 
present,  however,  probably  not  more  than  3  per  cent  of  it  is  under 
cultivation.    The  remainder  is  utilized  for  grazing. 

Wheat  is  the  principal  crop,  both  winter  and  spring  varieties  being 
grown.  There  is  a  smaller  acreage  of  corn  and  oats,  and  several  other 
crops,  including  rye,  barley,  millet,  amber  cane,  and  alfalfa,  are 
grown  in  a  small  way. 

The  yields  of  all  crops  show  wide  variations  from  year  to  year, 
depending  mainly  upon  the  amount  and  distribution  of  rainfall. 
Wheat  yields  in  the  last  10  years  have  ranged  from  less  than  10 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBRASKA.  21 

bushels  per  acre,  or  practically  crop  failures,  to  as  much  as  25  or  30 
bushels  under  the  most  favorable  conditions.  Corn  rarely  yields  more 
thgfn  20  bushels  per  acre.  In  many  seasons  the  grain  fails  to  mature, 
and  during  the  driest  years  there  is  scarcely  any  fodder.  Oats  gen- 
erally attain  sufficient  growth  to  be  cut  for  hay,  and  in  favorable 
years,  where  care  has  been  exercised  in  the  selection  of  seed  and 
planting  has  been  done  at  a  favorable  time,  yields  of  as  much  as  40 
bushels  per  acre  have  been  obtained.  Millet  does  not  often  fail  to 
furnish  forage. 

The  soil  supports  a  thick  growth  of  native  short  grasses,  princi- 
pally grama  and  buffalo  grass,  and  furnishes  good  grazing  for  cattle 
and  horses.  Except  where  the  grass  is  injured  by  unusual  drought, 
the  land  commonly  has  a  carrying  capacity  of  one  cow  or  steer  to 
15  or  25  acres.  In  the  lower  lying  areas  some  grasses  make  sufficient 
growth  to  be  cut  for  hay. 

The  sod  land  is  generally  broken  to  a  depth  of  about  4  inches,  and 
as  soon  as  possible  thereafter  it  is  disked  and  gone  over  with  some 
form  of  harrow  or  with  a  roller  in  order  to  fill  up  the  spaces  between 
the  furrow  slices,  a  practice  necessary  to  prevent  excessive  loss  of 
moisture.  The  soil  under  cultivation  is  kept  in  a  slightly  rough  or 
lumpy  condition  to  prevent  blowing.  Under  favorable  moisture  con- 
ditions this  type  is  mellow  and  loamy  and  easily  worked,  but  after 
periods  of  drought  it  becomes  more  compact,  so  that  plowing  and 
the  preparation  of  a  good  seed  bed  are  difficult  or  impracticable. 

Improved  land  of  this  type  has  a  selling  price  of  $15  to  $20  an 
acre,  and  unimproved  land  a  value  of  $10  to  $15  an  acre. 

SIDNEY    SILT    LOAM. 

The  soil  section  of  the  Sidney  silt  loam  is  very  similar  to  that  of 
the  loam  type.  The  surface  soil  is  a  light-brown,  mellow  silt  loam, 
generally  fine  in  texture.  There  is  no  considerable  percentage  of 
particles  coarser  than  fine  sand  and  no  gravel.  At  a  depth  of  about 
10  or  12  inches  the  material  becomes  slightly  more  compact,  but  it 
again  becomes  friable  and  mealy  in  structure  at  about  18  or  20  inches, 
and  grades  into  the  grayish,  highly  calcareous  silty  subsoil.  Gravel 
is  encountered  at  3  or  4  feet,  but  generally  the  soil  layer  is  thicker 
than  in  case  of  the  loam. 

This  type  is  mapped  in  the  upland  part  of  the  county  in  close 
association  with  the  loam,  occurring  both  in  extensive  tracts  and  as 
small  isolated  areas.  It  occupies  the  more  nearly  level,  higher  land 
and  also  the  lower  lying  parts  of  the  shallow  drainage  depressions 
that  occur  throughout  the  upland  plain.  The  level  topography 
favors  the  retention  of  the  rainfall,  and  in  this  respect  the  type  has  a 
slight   advantage   over   the   loam   and   other   types  of   the   Sidney 


22  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE  BUEEAU    OF    SOILS,   1916. 

series.  The  topography  also  is  favorable  to  an  extensive  type  of 
farming.  In  the  deeper  basins  the  soil  is  usually  more  compact  and 
more  closely  resembles  the  Scott  silt  loam,  calcareous  phase. 

All  the  type  is  arable,  and  it  is  probably  better  adapted  to  farming 
than  any  other  soil  in  the  county  under  the  prevailing  climatic  con- 
ditions. At  present,  however,  probably  less  than  20  per  cent  of  the 
land  is  under  cultivation.  Wheat  is  the  principal  crop,  followed  by 
oats  and  corn.  Rye,  barley,  millet,  amber  cane,  alfalfa,  and  emmer 
are  grown  in  small  patches  and  in  an  experimental  way.  Yields  of 
as  much  as  35  bushels  of  wheat  per  acre  have  been  obtained  under 
favorable  conditions  where  the  land  has  been  properly  prepared  and 
seeded  at  a  favorable  time.  The  average  yield,  however,  for  a  period 
of  years  is  probably  about  10  bushels.  On  account  of  the  climatic 
conditions  corn  does  not  often  mature  properly,  and  the  yields  are 
low.  Oats  attain  sufficient  growth  to  furnish  hay  nearly  every  year, 
and  in  favorable  seasons  yields  of  30  to  40  bushels  of  grain  per  acre 
are  obtained. 

The  soil  has  a  friable,  loamy  structure  when  it  contains  a  normal 
amount  of  moisture  and  is  easily  plowed  and  prepared  for  small 
grain,  but  it  tends  to  become  hard  after  long  droughts. 

In  its  natural  condition  this  type  supports  a  thick  groAvth  of 
grasses,  principally  grama  grass  and  buifalo  grass,  which  afford  good 
grazing  both  in  summer  and  in  winter.  In  the  lower  situations  the 
grasses  attain  sufficient  height  to  be  cut  for  hay. 

This  land  has  a  selltng  price  of  about  $20  an  acre. 

SCOTT   SILT   LOAM,    CALCAREOUS   PHASE. 

The  upper  soil  of  the  Scott  silt  loam,  calcareous  phase,  is  a  light- 
brown  or  dark-gra}'^  silt  loam,  generally  high  in  silt  and  containing 
very  little  coarse  material.  This  stratum  has  a  moderately  compact 
structure.  At  a  depth  of  4  to  8  inches  the  material  passes  into  a 
light-brownish  silty  clay  loam,  which  is  very  compact  in  structure 
and  like  hardpan.  At  depths  varying  from  20  to  24  inches  this  layer 
becomes  gray  or  drab,  coarser  in  texture,  and  more  friable  in  struc- 
ture. It  is  almost  impossible  to  bore  through  the  hardpan  subsoil 
with  the  soil  auger,  although  the  material  when  brought  to  the  sur- 
face is  crumbly  and  mealy,  suggesting  that  the  compact  structure 
may  be  due  more  to  a  cementing  by  mineral  salts  than  to  the  con- 
centration of  clay.  The  soil  effervesces  freely  with  acid  at  a  depth  of 
15  to  20  inches,  indicating  a  high  lime  content  in  the  subsoil. 

Small  areas  of  soil  included  with  this  phase  are  a  silty  clay  loam  or 
clay  J,  such  areas  representing  a  lower  lying  and  more  poorly  drained 
variation  of  the  phase.  The  soil  is  tougher  and  more  impervious  than 
the  silt  loam  and  is  locally  known  as  "  gumbo." 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL   COUNTY,    NEBRASKA. 


23 


The  Scott  silt  loam,  calcareous  phase,  is  widely  distributed  in  the 
depressions  which  occur  over  the  upland  plains  of  the  county,  but  is 
found  principally  in  the  southern  part.  It  occurs  in  separate  small 
bodies  ranging  from  about  3  to  50  acres  in  extent,  with  one  larger  area 
of  about  1,000  acres  Avest  of  Gifford. 

The  soil  material  has  been  deposited  in  shallow  basins  and  consists 
of  sediment  from  soils  of  the  table-land.  In  places,  owing  to  the 
impervious  nature  of  the  subsoil,  water  accumulates  in  small  ponds 
after  heavy  rains  and  disappears  very  slowly,  so  that  poor  drainage 
is  prevalent  over  a  large  part  of  the  phase. 

Only  a  very  small  part  of  this  soil  is  under  cultivation.  It  is  more 
difficult  to  plow  the  land  and  prepare  a  good  seed  bed  than  on  the 
associated  soils  of  the  Sidney  series,  but  the  topography  is  more 
favorable  to  the  retention  of  moisture.  The  areas  support  a  thick 
growth  of  native  grasses,  except  in  the  areas  of  standing  water. 

The  following  table  gives  the  results  of  the  mechanical  analyses 
of  samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Scott  silt  loam,  calcareous 
phase : 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Scott  silt  loam,  calcareous  phase. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Verj'  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

372517..     .  . 

Soil 

Per  cent. 
5.4 
5.9 

Per  cent. 
8.6 
15.4 

Per  cent. 
3.5 

8.8 

Per  cent. 
6.6 
13.6 

Per  cent. 
18.2 
9.4 

Per  cent. 
42.9 
20.9 

Per  cent. 
14  8 

372518     

Subsoil.......... 

25  8 

TRIPP    VEKY    FINE    SANDY    LOAM. 


The  surface  soil  of  the  Tripp  very  fine  sandy  loam  consists  of  a 
light-brown,  very  fine  sandy  loam,  relatively  high  in  the  finest  grade 
of  sand  and  in  silt,  and  low  in  all  the  grades  of  material  coarser  than 
fine  sand.  The  soil  is  from  15  to  20  inches  deep  and  is  underlain  by 
gray  or  pale-yellowish  material,  differing  only  slightly  in  texture 
from  the  surface  material,  though  possibly  containing  a  somewhat 
higher  percentage  of  silt.  At  a  depth  of  10  or  12  inches  there  is  com- 
monly in  the  soil  a  subsurface  layer  which  is  a  little  more  compact 
than  the  surface  soil,  but  the  material  at  20  to  24  inches  becomes  dry, 
mealy,  and  friable.  The  surface  soil  apparently  is  only  moderately 
calcareous,  but  the  lime  content  increases  with  depth  until  the  gray- 
ish, highly  calcareous  subsoil  is  encountered,  at  a  depth  of  20  to  24 
inches. 

This  type  is  very  similar  in  physical  characteristics  to  the  Chey- 
enne very  fine  sandy  loam,  from  which  it  differs  chiefly  in  the  greater 
depth  of  the  soil  material  over  the  gravelly  substratum  underlying  all 
the  alluvial  deposits  of  the  county. 


24  FIELD  OPERATIONS   OF  THE  BUREAU   OF    SOILS,  1916. 

This  type  is  confined  to  the  Lodgepole  Valley,  where  it  occurs  as 
alluvial  terraces  or  benches  lying  20  to  60  feet  above  the  creek  level. 
The  land  is  nearly  level,  but  has  sufficient  slope  to  effect  thorough 
drainage.    The  topography  is  favorable  for  irrigation. 

The  greater  part  of  the  Tripp  very  fine  sandy  loam  is  in  cultiva- 
tion, being  farmed  both  by  dry-land  methods  and  under  irrigation. 
It  seems  to  retain  water  better  and  has  proved  more  productive 
than  the  other  valley  soils. 

With  irrigation  both  special  crops  and  general  farm  crops  are 
grown.  Irish  potatoes,  alfalfa,  and  sugar  beets  are  the  more  im- 
portant products,  ranking  in  point  of  acreage  in  the  order  named. 
Wheat,  corn,  and  oats  ar§  grown  chiefly  by  dry-farming  methods, 
but  to  a  small  extent  under  irrigation.  Cabbage  and  beans  are 
special  crops  grown  on  a  small  acreage. 

The  yields  of  potatoes  under  irrigation  range  from  about  150  to 
175  bushels  per  acre.  Sugar  beets  produce  8  to  10  tons  per  acre,  and 
alfalfa  3  to  4  tons  from  three  cuttings  per  year.  Wheat  yields  about 
20  to  25  bushels  under  irrigation.  Yields  of  20  to  30  bushels  of  corn 
are  obtained  when  the  season  is  favorable  for  maturing  the  grain, 
although  very  little  is  grown.  Under  dry-farming  methods  the 
yields  of  grain  var}'^  widely,  depending  on  the  season.  The  land 
apparently  has  about  the  same  agricultural  value  as  the  Sidney 
loam  and  silt  loam  of  the  table-land. 

The  soil  is  loamy  and  easily  tilled,  but  does  not  drift,  its  coherency 
being  sufficient  to  prevent  this.  It  does  not  puddle  to  any  serious 
extent  Avhen  irrigated.  No  accumulation  of  alkali  sufficient  to  cause 
injury  to  plants  has  taken  place. 

Land  of  this  type  of  soil,  under  irrigation,  has  a  selling  price 
of  $60  to  $75  an  acre. 

CHEYENNE  GRAVELLY   SANDY  LOAM. 

The  Cheyenne  gravelly  sandy  loam,  to  a  depth  of  4  or  5  inches, 
consists  of  a  light  yellowish  brown  fine  sandy  loam  containing  vary- 
ing quantities  of  gravel.  The  subsoil,  beginning  at  a  depth  of  a 
few  inches,  is  a  porous  mass  of  unconsolidated,  grayish  sand  and 
gravel,  extending  to  depths  of  3  to  10  feet.  The  soil  contains  only 
a  small  admixture  of  organic  matter. 

This  type  occurs  as  narrow  strips  of  alluvial  wash  in  the  beds  of 
the  larger  draws,  and  also  in  filled  channels  of  Lodgepole  Creek.  It 
has  no  value  for  farming,  either  under  dry-land  methods  or  irriga- 
tion. It  supports  a  very  sparse  groAvth  of  grasses,  sand  grass  being 
the  only  species  of  much  value,  and  it  is  therefore  of  little  worth 
even  as  grazing  land. 


(SOIL   SURVEY    OP    KIMBALL   COUNTY,    NEBRASKA,  25 


CHEYENNE   FINE   SANDY   LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Cheyenne  fine  sandy  loam  typically  is  a 
light-brown  or  grayish,  loose  fine  sandy  loam,  about  10  to  15  inches 
in  depth.  The  subsoil  is  characteristically  lighter  in  color  than  the 
surface  material,  and  coarser  in  texture,  containing  a  high  percentage 
of  gravel  either  within  the  3-foot  section  or  in  the  immediate  sub- 
stratum. In  the  deeper  phases  there  is  commonly  a  light-gray, 
highly  calcareous  layer  betw^een  the  surface  soil  and  the  underlying 
gravel  bed. 

The  type  occurs  as  narrow,  irregular  patches  on  the  alluvial  ter- 
race, or  bench  land,  lying  10  to  40  feet  above  Lodgepole  Creek,  and 
is  also  found  on  the  level  valley  floors  of  the  larger  draws,  w^here  it 
is  3  to  10  feet  above  the  drainage  channels.  The  surface  is  nearly 
level  or  slightly  undulating,  but  is  dissected  by  the  meandering 
stream  channels  and  tributary  draws. 

The  type  is  of  small  extent  and  of  minor  agricultural  importance. 
The  land  is  droughty  when  farmed  under  dry-land  methods  and  has 
too  free  underdrainage,  especially  in  the  shallow  areas,  to  be  success- 
fully irrigated. 

The  soil  does  not  support  as  thick  a  growth  of  grasses  as  the 
heavier  types,  and  it  has  a  lower  grazing  value.  There  is  a  smaller 
proportion  of  grama  and  buffalo  grasses  than  on  the  loam  and  silt 
loam  soils  of  the  upland.  The  creeping  prickly-pear  cactus  of  this 
region  seems  to  show  a  preference  for  this  and  similar  dry  sandy 
types. 

CHEYENNE   VEBY    FINE    SANDY   LOAM. 

The  soil  of  the  Cheyenne  very  fine  sandy  loam  consists  of  a  light- 
brown  or  brown  very  fine  sandy  loam  about  15  to  20  inches  in  depth. 
This  grades  rather  abruptly  into  a  light-gray,  very  fine  sandy  loam 
or  silt  loam,  having  a  mealy,  friable  structure,  and  this  in  turn  rests 
upon  a  bed  of  coarse  sand  and  gravel  at  depths  of  3  to  4  feet.  The 
color  indicates  a  fair  content  of  organic  matter  to  a  depth  of  10  to  12 
inches,  where  the  material  becomes  lighter  in  color  and  increasingly 
calcareous. 

This  type  is  confined  to  the  valley  of  Lodgepole  Creek,  in  which 
it  occupies  alluvial  terraces  lying  15  to  40  feet  above  the  creek  level. 

The  topography  is  nearly  level  or  gently  sloping.  The  land  is 
well  drained,  and  the  surface  is  favorable  for  irrigation.  The  porous 
character  of  the  subsoil  permits  free  underdrainage. 

The  greater  part  of  the  type  is  under  cultivation.  Alfalfa,  Irish 
potatoes,  and  sugar  beets  are  the  principal  crops  grown  under  irri- 
gation. The  yields  are  about  the  same  as,  or  slightly  lower  than, 
those  obtained  on  the  Tripp  very  fine  sandy  loam,  in  which  the 
porous  gravelly  substratum  lies  at  greater  depths.    Under  dry-land 


26 


FIELD   OPERATIONS  OF   THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 


farming  the  soil  seems  somewhat  less  retentive  of  moisture  than  the 
Tripp  soil  or  upland  soils  such  as  the  Sidney  loam  and  silt  loam, 
and  it  is  a  little  more  susceptible  to  drifting  than  these  Sidney  types. 
HoweA^er,  in  favorable  seasons  good  yields  of  wheat  and  other  crops 
adapted  to  this  region  are  obtained. 

The  following  table  gives  the  results  of  the  mechanical  analyses 
of  samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Cheyenne  very  fine  sandy 

loam: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Cheyenne  very  fine  sandy  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

sut. 

Clay. 

372515 

Soil 

Per  cent. 
4.8 
13.4 

Per  cent. 

9.8 

31.8 

Per  cent. 
6.3 
18.0 

Per  cent. 
18.2 
19.4 

Per  cent. 

26.8 

5.7 

Per  cent. 
23.4 

4.4 

Per  cent. 
10  6 

372516 

7  1 

CHEYENNE   LOAM. 


The  Cheyenne  loam  consists  of  a  light-brown,  fine-textured  loam, 
10  to  15  inches  deep,  underlain  by  a  grayish  or  yellowish,  friable 
calcareous  loam.  A  porous  layer  of  unconsolidated  sand  and  gravel 
is  encountered  at  a  depth  of  about  3  feet.  This  type  does  not  differ 
materially  from  the  fine  sandy  loam  and  very  fine  sandy  loam  of  the 
series,  except  in  the  texture  of  the  surface  soil. 

The  type  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the  county,  but  is  con- 
fined to  the  valleys  of  the  larger  draws,  where  it  occurs  as  narrow, 
elongated  strips  conforming  with  the  direction  of  the  drainage.  It 
is  derived  from  the  older  alluvial  wash  which  fills  the  valleys  and 
occupies  low  terraces  lying  6  to  10  feet  above  the  drainage  channels. 

The  surface  is  nearly  level,  but  has  sufficient  slope  to  allow  much 
of  the  rainfall  to  run  off.  Owing  to  the  porous  character  of  the 
gravelly  subsoil  the  underdrainage  is  rather  free. 

The  valleys  are  comparatively  narrow,  and  the  areas  of  this  soil 
are  irregular  in  width  and  extent,  owing  to  the  meandering  of  the 
drainage  channels,  so  that  most  of  the  land  is  unsuitable  for  ex- 
tensive farming.  The  areas  are  not  favorably  situated  for  irriga- 
tion, and  the  soil  has  a  tendency  to  be  droughty.  Very  little  farm- 
ing has  been  attempted.  The  type  supports  a  good  growth  of  native 
grasses  and  is  valued  chiefly  for  pasture. 


LAUREL  VERY  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 


The  Laurel  very  fine  sandy  loam  is  a  light  yellowish  brown  or 
dark-grayish,  slightly  coherent  very  fine  sandy  loam,  underlain  at 
depths  of  about  3  feet  or  less  by  coarse  sand  and  gravel.  The  soil  ma- 
terial commonly  becomes  lighter  in  color  with  depth,  as  the  organic- 


SOIL   SURVEY    OF    KIMBALL    COUNTY,    NEBRASKA.  27 

matter  content  decreases,  but  there  is  little  difference  in  the  texture 
and  structure  of  the  material  above  the  basal  bed  of  gravel.  The 
soil  apparently  is  less  calcareous  than  the  older  soils  of  the  county. 
Some  areas  of  fine  sandv  loam  and  silt  loam  are  included  with  this 
type,  but  the  minor  agricultural  importance  of  the  series  in  this  area 
does  not  warrant  the  making  of  fine  textural  distinctions. 

The  Laurel  very  fine  sandy  loam  is  confined  to  the  Lodgepole  Val- 
ley, where  it  occurs  as  narrow  strips  of  first-bottom  land  representing 
the  most  recent  alluvial  deposition.  The  flood  plain  is  2  to  6  feet 
above  the  creek  level,  and  the  type  is  subject  to  occasional  overflow. 
The  land  is  for  the  most  part  poorly  drained,  not  only  on  account  of 
its  low  topographic  position  and  the  shallow  depth  to  the  water  table, 
but  also  on  account  of  considerable  seepage  from  adjacent,  higher 
lying  irrigated  land. 

This  type  is  not  cultivated,  but  it  supports  a  good  growth  of  wild 
grasses  which  afford  both  hay  and  pasturage. 

BOUGH    BROKEN    LAND. 

Rough  broken  land  includes  the  rocky  bluffs  and  the  more  eroded 
and  gidlied  land  along  the  deeper  draws.  It  is  characterized  by  rock 
outcrop,  and  much  of  it  is  nearly  barren  of  soil.  It  has  no  value 
for  farming,  but  supports  a  sparse  growth  of  grasses  in  the  small 
secluded  patches  of  Sidney  gravelly  sandy  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam, 
and  these  afford  some  grazing.  In  a  few  places  there  is  a  scattered 
growth  of  stunted  pine  common  to  the  region. 

The  principal  areas  of  Rough  broken  land  occur  near  the  western 
boundary  of  the  county  along  the  tributary  draws  on  the  south  side 
of  Lodgepole  Creek,  along  Rocky  Hollow  near  the  northern  county 
line,  and  along  Sidney  Draw  in  the  extreme  southeastern  part  of  the 
county. 

SUMMARY. 

Kimball  County  is  in  the  extreme  western  part  of  Nebraska.  It 
comprises  an  area  of  958  square  miles,  or  613,120  acres. 

The  county  lies  within  the  great  plains  physiographic  province  of 
the  United  States.  Topographically  it  is  a  high,  nearly  level  to  mod- 
erately rolling  generally  treeless  plain.  The  only  stream  of  any  con- 
siderable size  is  Lodgepole  Creek,  a  tributary  of  South  Platte  River. 
The  general  elevation  of  the  plain  is  4,800  to  5,300  feet  above  sea  level. 

The  county  is  thinly  settled  and  contains  no  large  towns  or  cities. 
Transportation  facilities  are  afforded  by  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad, 
which  passes  east  and  west  through  the  central  part  of  the  county. 

The  county  has  a  semiarid  climate.  The  mean  annual  rainfall 
is  about  16  inches,  the  precipitation  occurring  principally  in  the 


28  FIELD   OPERATIONS  OF  THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1916. 

months  of  April  to  July,  inclusive.  The  mean  annual  temperature 
is  reported  as  47.5°  F.  The  winters  are  long  and  are  characterized 
by  low  temperatures.  There  is  a  normal  growing  season  of  128 
days. 

The  early  agriculture  of  the  area  consisted  entirely  of  raising 
cattle  on  the  open  range.  Farming  has  been  carried  on  in  a  small 
way  since  about  1884.  The  present  agriculture  consists  of  an  exten- 
sive type  of  dry-land  farming  combined  with  stock  raising  and  of 
some  intensive  cropping  under  irrigation.  Only  about  6  per  cent  of 
the  area  of  the  county  is  under  cultivation. 

Of  the  crops  grown,  wheat  occupies  the  largest  acreage  and  is  the 
most  successful  crop  growm  under  dry-farming  methods.  It  is  the 
chief  cash  crop.  About  7,000  acres  in  the  Lodgepole  Valley  is  under 
irrigation,  and  about  4,000  acres  of  this  land  is  under  cultivation, 
chiefly  to  Irish  potatoes,  alfalfa,  and  sugar  beets. 

The  soils  of  the  county  are  prevailingly  light  brown  in  color  at  the 
surface,  with  grayish,  highly  calcareous  subsoils  having  a  loose, 
friable  structure.  Over  the  greater  part  of  the  county  the  soils  are 
residual  in  origin,  the  material  being  derived  entirely  from  a  single 
geologic  formation.  The  soils  derived  from  alluvial  deposits  consti- 
tute about  10  per  cent  of  the  area  of  the  county.  Loam  soils  pre- 
dominate, followed  by  fine  sandy  loam  and  silt  loam  types. 

The  soils  of  the  upland  plains  are  included  principally  in  the 
Sidney  series.  The  soils  occupying  alluvial  terraces  or  benches  are 
classed  with  the  Cheyenne  and  Tripp  series,  and  the  recently  formed 
bottom  land  is  classed  with  the  Laurel  series. 

The  Sidney  series  is  represented  by  five  types  and  constitutes 
about  seven-eighths  of  the  total  area  of  the  county.  These  types 
have  light-brown  surface  soils  and  a  lighter  colored  subsoil.  The 
Sidney  soils  are  mainly  residual  in  origin.  They  are  well  drained 
and  productive  under  favorable  conditions  of  rainfall. 

The  Cheyenne  soils  are  derived  from  alluvial-terrace  material  with 
some  colluvial  wash.  The  soil  is  light  brown,  and  the  subsoil  is 
grayish  or  pale  yellowish  and  coarse  and  porous.  The  soils  are  well 
drained  but  droughty.  These  soils  are  of  small  extent  in  Kimball 
County. 

The  Tripp  series  comprises  light-brown  or  gray  surface  soils  and 
a  light-gray  or  pale-yellow  subsoil.  These  soils  occupy  alluvial  ter- 
races.   They  are  well  drained  and  productive  under  irrigation. 

The  soils  of  the  Laurel  series  are  light  brown  to  pale  yellowish, 
with  a  gravelly  stratum  in  the  lower  part  of  the  subsoil.  These  soils 
are  comparable  with  the  Cheyenne,  but  occupy  a  lower  topographic 
position  and  are  not  so  well  drained. 

Q 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


[PlTBtlC  Resoi-ution — No.  9.] 

JOINT  RESOLUTION  Amending  public  resolution  numbered  eight,  Fifty-sixth  Congress, 
second  session,  approved  February  twenty-third,  nineteen  hundred  and  one,  "  providing 
for  the  printing  annually  of  the  report  on  field  operations  of  the  Division  of  Soils, 
Department  of  Agriculture." 

Resolved  hy  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of 
Aniericd  in  Congress  assembled,  That  public  resolution  numbered  eight,  Fifty- 
sixth  Congress,  second  session,  approved  February  twenty-third,  nineteen  hun- 
dred and  one,  be  amended  by  striking  out  all  after  the  resolving  clause  and 
inserting  in  lieu  thereof  the  following : 

That  there  shall  be  printed  ten  thousand  five  hundred  copies  of  the  report  on 
field  operations  of  the  Division  of  Soils,  Department  of  Agi'iculture,  of  which 
one  tliousand  five  hundred  copies  shall  be  for  the  use  of  the  Senate,  three  thou- 
sand copies  for  the  use  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  six  thousand  copies 
for  the  use  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture :  Provided,  That  in  addition  to  the 
number  of  copies  above  provided  for  there  shall  be  printed,  as  soon  as  the  manu- 
script can  be  prepared,  with  the  necessary  maps  and  illustrations  to  accompany 
it,  a  report  on  each  area  surveyed,  in  the  form  of  advance  sheets,  bound  in  paper 
covers,  of  which  five  hundred  copies  shall  be  for  the  use  of  each  Senator  from  the 
State,  two  thousand  copies  for  the  use  of  each  Representative  for  the  congres- 
sional district  or  districts  in  which  the  survey  is  made,  and  one  thousand  copies 
for  the  use  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Approved,  March  14,  1904. 

[On  July  1,  1901,  the  Diyision  of  Soils  was  reorganized  as  the  Bureau  of  Soils.] 


m 


